Journalism and Peace (University of Maryland Syllabus, 2012)
Journalism & Peace
Fall Semester 2012‘
University of Maryland
Prof. Colman McCarthy
We have no shortage of war correspondents. But where are the peace correspondents? Where are the journalists, whether print or broadcast, whether toiling for the wealthy corporate media or going it alone as independents, whether columnists or editorial writers, whether reporters and editors on college newspapers or reporters and editors of large circulation dailies, who bring to the public the news about peace?
This course is a modest effort to examine a few of the issues involving journalism and peace, as well as journalism in times of war.
The course is discussion based. In addition to three texts (below) , we will be taking close looks at the coverage of peace issues—or the absence of coverage—in The Washington Post, USA Today and The New York Times.
COURSE TEXTS
Solutions to Violence
Strength Through Peace: the Ideas and People of Nonviolence.
Peace Is Possible
I’d Rather Teach Peace
WRITING REQUIREMENTS
One paper and a journal. The ideal paper is a mix of personal reflection, analysis and fact-based commentary. It should not be a research paper, tilled from the depleted soil of term paper dullness. Write a paper that is uniquely and creatively your own that no one else could write. This a chance to be practice journalism: cover yourself as a story, linking it with to the readings in our texts or to newspaper stories we read in class. Length? 800 words or more. Due date: November 5.
The journal should include weekly entries that can be your reflections on what was discussed in class, on the readings that week, your thoughts about something in the news or something going on in your own life. Length of an entry? 300 or more words. Due date: final class.
Much rides, obviously, on the quality of the paper and journal. Papers that are exceptionally well-written, creative and unique earn A’s. Papers that are above average, flow with well crafted prose and have occasional flashes of creativity earn B’s. Papers that show only an ordinary command of language and aren’t especially noteworthy in either style or intelligence earn C’s. Papers that read as if they were dashed off the night before the due date, or give the appearance of being recycled from old papers from other classes, or cause the professor to fall asleep after the third paragraph earn a D—or F, depending how long the sleep lasts.
The paper should be turned in at class, not emailed. The journal can be computer written or handwritten. Grade reduction for late papers.
The best reason for missing class is a death—mine or yours.
AVAILABILITY
By phone, I’m reachable at 202 537-1372. By mail: The Center for Teaching Peace, 4501 Van Ness St., NW, Washington DC 20016. E-mail: cmccarthy@starpower.net
The following is a plan of what’s ahead, and like all plans subject to changes when needed.
An examination of the relationship between journalism and peace, including our own personal involvements in decreasing violence and increasing peace
What exactly is meant by peace? If politicians claim they want peace and if every human heart yearns for peace, why is there little of it? For this class, we’ll read chapter 1 in “Strength Through Peace” and chapter 1 in “Peace Is Possible.”
Where has nonviolence worked? The question is perennially asked. To get an answer or two on how it works both personally and politically, read chapter 6 in “Strength Through Peace” and pages 82 (starting at the last two paragraphs) to 87 in “I’d Rather Teach Peace.”
Time now for Gandhi., the Indian peacemaker. Read chapter 3 in “Solutions to Violence” and chapter 5 in “Strength Through Peace.”
Journalists and the death penalty. Readings: pages 95-110 in “I’d Rather Teach Peace” and chapter 7 in “Solutions to Violence.”
The documentary film “From Fury To Forgiveness” will be shown, followed by a class discussion. The film is about families of murder victims who are not only opposed to the death penalty but actively work to abolish it. Readings: chapter 10 in “Strength Through Peace.”
An examination of the Vietnam War and the current war in Iraq: the similarities and the differences. Chapter 8 in “Strength Through Peace” and the Martin Luther King Jr. essay on Vietnam on page 69 of “Solutions.”
How are the media covering the current war in Iraq? Readings: the first chapter in which details the difficulties that occurred during the 1991 invasion of Iraq. as contrasted with the 2003 war. “War Made Easy,” a documentary on how much of the corporate media cooperate with will be shown.
When the wars finally end and futility of them becomes clear, what do former enemies do? Read chapter 9 in “Peace Is Possible.” The documentary “Vietnam: Long Time Coming.”
What about bullying? What about domestic violence? What about verbal and emotional violence. For a discussion of alternatives, read Erich Fromm’s essay, “The Art of Loving” in Chapter 9 in Solutions.
Week Eleven
An examination of the longest war in recorded history, the war waged by human beings against animals. All the texts have essays on the legal, moral and political aspects of the relation between humans and animals.
Week Thirteen
A discussion of the differences between animals welfare and animals rights, as found in the documentary film “To Love or To Kill..”
Week Fourteen
And what about civil disobedience? How does it work? Is it effective? For class, read Henry David Thoreau’s “On the Duty of Civil Disobedience” and Andrea Ayvazian’s “War Tax Resistance.” Also chapter 10 in “Peace Is Possible.”